Qatar first Arab state to pledge troops to UN Lebanon force

[maddezmom]

DOHA (AFP) - Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani has pledged up to 300 troops for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon making the gas-rich emirate the first Arab state to contribute.

The troop pledge was intended to "tell the world that there is an Arab presence, however small, and to say to Israel that we believe in this resolution and that we want to implement it," Sheikh Hamad said referring to the UN Security Council truce resolution that ended the fighting in Lebanon.

The Qatari contigent would comprise "between 200 and 300 men," he said.

Sheikh Hamad was speaking at a joint news conference with UN chief Kofi Annan who has been on marathon Middle East tour to push for implementation of Resolution 1701 that went into force on August 14 after 34 days of devastating conflict between Israel and Shiite militants of Hezbollah.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060904/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictlebanon_060904095557